Page 79 of Leashed

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Bo clenched his teeth to keep his temper in check, knowing the biting words on the tip of his tongue wouldn’t help his case. “I’m not asking you to do anything except pull me under,” he snarled, loosening his hold on his coffee cup before he shattered it.

Seph crossed her legs and flared her skirt out. “Bo, honey. Even an accusation of involvement could mean a very trying time for me,” she explained calmly. “Dio would be more than willing to assist you, but as I said, he’s a little preoccupied with planning a party. I’m sure if you wait—”

“I don’t have time to wait,” he huffed, rising to refill his cup. “Seph, please. I’ve never asked for anything. And you’ve brought Ryan home for way less than this hundreds of times.”

She fixed him with a stern look. “What is this about? I thought you and Lachesis came to an understanding twelve centuries ago. Why rehash old grudges and draw forth old resentments? Especially with one of her power.”

“Because she’s fucking with me, Seph. She’s fucking with me, and I’m done with her shit,” he roared, slamming his mug into the sink and wincing when it shattered. He lolled his head back and ran his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. It’s just Dio…his influence is too strong for me and I can’t track Lach down when I’m too plastered to walk.” His shoulders slumped forward. “I need you to do this, Seph.”

Her expression softened and she walked to him, tucking his hair back and running her thumb under his chin. “Let me speak with Hades and I’ll let you know in an hour. Yes?”

He nodded. “I’ll be here.”

She flashed away, leaving him alone in a kitchen splattered with coffee. Yanking his phone from his back pocket, he tapped on Ryan’s number. “Hey, man.”

“Bo? Everything okay?”

Sliding down the cupboards, he sat on the floor and stared at the window. “Not really. I need something.”

He could hear a shuffling of papers and the chime of a computer turning on. “I can transfer up to three thousand today if that works.”

Closing his eyes, he rested his elbow on his knee. “I need info, not money,” he muttered, unable to blame his brother for going straight for the obvious. “Are the Fates still using the belly of Olympus as their home base? I was going to ask C, but she hasn’t been back today.”

“Last I heard,” Ryan replied slowly. “What’s up?”

“Just need to have a chat with Lach,” he mumbled.

“Bad idea, Bo,” Ryan warned. “She screwed you over pretty hard the last time you two hooked up. You really want to test how much further she’ll push it? If you’re looking for a quick deity lay, stick to the nymphs or the Charities. Their long-term damage is negligible.”

He exhaled loudly, unwilling to show his hand. “All I want to know is how far down the Styx I need to go before heading north to the lake. I can find my way from there.”

Ryan went quiet. “What’s this about, Bo? Chasing down the Fates on their turf is a death wish. Not even Hades crosses the lake into their territory.”

“How. Far?”

There was an audible sigh of resignation from his brother. “Two hundred miles. The lake appears to be endless, but it’s an illusion. Not more than three miles straight across, eleven around. Most say the central path is the quickest route, but the terrain is the worst.” He paused. “Should I be making contact with Hades?”

“Hades knows,” he replied tersely. “Whether or not he’ll support it is another thing. Any luck on tracking the Pirithous?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Ryan groaned. “I’m chasing ghosts out here. Look, I was just about to call Alex with an update. Or lack thereof. Want me to hold out a few minutes so you can touch base with him first?”

Resuming his blank stare at the darkening window, he nodded. “Yeah. I’ll tell him to call you after. Thanks.”

“Hey,” Ryan called out as he moved to hang up the call. “You’ll tell me what’s going on once you deal with it, right?”

“Maybe.”

He ended the call and tapped Alex’s number, his nose wrinkling when the blast of bar music filtered through the speaker. “Sorry, man. You working?”

“Bo! Hey. Yeah. What’s up?”

The sounds of the lounge Alex worked at lessened. “Nothing important,” he grumbled, unwilling to bring up anything while his twin was distracted by work. “Just touching base.”

“Okaaayyyy,” Alex drawled. “You need anything?”

He hesitated a moment. “Not from you but, there is something Charlotte could do.”

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